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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29450325">matters of time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sad_goomy/pseuds/sad_goomy'>sad_goomy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword &amp; Shield | Pokemon Sword &amp; Shield Versions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Feelings Realization, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, One Shot, Post-Canon, Valentine's Day, aka the true otp dynamic: disasterxdisaster, morons to lovers really, no beta no plan we charge forward like leon without directions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:42:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,625</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29450325</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sad_goomy/pseuds/sad_goomy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, it takes a disaster of a themed holiday to realize that the person you should've been spending it with is...well...the person you're spending it with.</p><p>---</p><p>Two one-shots for two couples for Valentine's Day.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dande | Leon/Sonia, Kibana | Raihan/Rurina | Nessa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. the surprisingly inevitable</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p><strong>From: Sonia </strong><br/>
[14/2 17:58] <br/>
<em>Just got here! Looks like they’re not too busy like you said :) </em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>From: Sonia </strong><br/>
[14/2 18:06] <br/>
<em>Went ahead and got our table, let me know when you’re nearby! </em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>From: Sonia</strong> <br/>
[14/2 18:21] <br/>
<em>I’m going to get started with a glass of wine, do you want me to order anything for you? </em></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><strong>From: Sonia </strong><br/>
[14/2 18:37] <br/>
<em>Is everything alright? </em></p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Sonia’s brows furrow as she stares at her phone screen, a photo of Yamper sleeping on his back, with no new notifications and the time daring to let her know it’s 45 minutes past when her date should have arrived. </p><p>She looks up, glancing around the little Wyndon bistro and thankful that the few other couples here are too engrossed with each other to spare a look at her, because she must make a rather pitiful sight. The professor of Galar, a published author, an undeniable catch in her little pink wrap dress, has been sitting at her table with only a glass of wine for company for over half an hour. </p><p>The thought occurs to her as she takes another sip of red wine and sits back, glossed lips turning downwards in a frown as the last of her appetite vanishes. </p><p><em> I’ve really been stood up. </em> </p><p>It’s enough to make her laugh, if only to keep the sting of water from forming in her eyes. She slides her phone into her little purse – a purse she took purely because of how well it went with her outfit, an outfit she wore specifically to impress this jerk, an outfit he decided he didn’t care to see at all actually – and crosses her arms as she stares at the table, deep in thought. </p><p><em> Absolutely mental, </em>she marvels, gripping her arms a little tighter as she glares daggers into the wood grain, <em>To </em><em>be stood up when I’m at my best? When I’ve gone all the way up to </em><em>Wyndon</em><em> just because he claims this is the best </em><em>Kalosian </em><em>food he’s ever had? Why couldn’t I be alone on Valentine’s before I became a minor celebrity? </em> </p><p>Gears are turning in her head as the hot flashes of embarrassment and shame wash over her, coloring her cheeks even more than her rouge. It’s one thing to accept that she’s been stood up, it’s another entirely to let everyone else know the same by walking out of here. Of course, if anyone’s been keeping tabs on her then they already know, and then with her luck some dreadful photo of her sitting alone will end up on Y-Comm tonight and then a gossip rag tomorrow. Being a young woman in the public eye has gotten her well-acquainted with the types of headlines they love to throw out about her, and she can see these latest ones already: <em>Guess no one chose this </em><em>Pokèmon </em><em>professor for their Valentine’s journey! </em> </p><p>“Miss?” </p><p>A waitress interrupts her downward spiral with a polite clearing of her throat. Sonia looks up, and feels her throat tighten at the look of absolute pity on the girl’s face. None of the patrons may have caught on yet, but the waitstaff certainly have; she can see a trio of them in the corner now actually, whispering to themselves and politely trying to not look at her with sympathetic frowns. </p><p>The waitress glances down at the untouched menu on the other side of the table, then back to Sonia as she asks, “Still waiting on the second member of your party?” </p><p><em> Pity party, more like. </em>Sonia shoves the thought down, clears her own throat and blinks quickly because the jerk may have stood her up, but he doesn’t get to ruin her makeup on top of it, too. “No, I don’t think so,” she mumbles, and she tries to do it with a smile, but it’s strained, saying the words out loud making it all the more real. </p><p>“Would you like to order, then?” </p><p>Sonia debates it for a moment, wondering if she has it within her to turn this around into taking herself out. After all, she’s all dolled up and trudged all the way to Wyndon, and maybe if she fakes the confidence, she can play this all off as a strong-independent-woman-in-the-modern-world moment. </p><p>But she looks at her wine and thinks something stronger would be even nicer, can’t even stomach the thought of eating with how many knots her stomach has twisted into, and with a final glance at all the happy, cozy couples in low romantic lighting around her, lets out a sigh. </p><p>“Just the check.” </p><p>At least she’s hit rock bottom and tonight can’t get much worse. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>It gets worse. </p><p>The restaurant ended up making her one glass of wine on the house, which should’ve made her feel better but got twisted up into her mind so that she only felt worse about the clear show of pity. Then she had to walk through the restaurant only to get stopped by a proposal near the front, the entire place erupting into applause as she begrudgingly joined in, trying to hold back selfish tears at the realization that people her age are getting married when she’s getting stood up.  </p><p>And of course, just because tonight wants to seal itself as her worst day in a long time, it starts raining on her walk to the station. </p><p>It wasn’t supposed to rain tonight, and the bag she took to match her heels wouldn’t be able to fit an umbrella anyway, so she’s left to walk through the streets of Wyndon curled in on herself in pouring rain. If she can separate herself from all this, she might be able to appreciate the theatrical contrast of her sulking like a drowned stray Meowth in front of warm, golden windows of buildings full of couples. </p><p>But she can’t, because she’s cold and her dress is ruined, and she’s been stood up on Valentine’s Day. </p><p>All she wants is to get home, stuff her face with something buttery or chocolatey, and then pass out with a bottle of wine on her couch without seeing another human being. </p><p>“Ah, sorry to trouble you but–” </p><p>She has her most vicious scowl ready when she hears the voice, only for it to fall into surprise as she looks up to find an incredibly lost and equally surprised Leon right in front of her, an umbrella in one hand and the map app on his Dex open in the other. </p><p>He blinks slowly, taking in her appearance as she opens and closes her mouth like a Magikarp, trying desperately to think of something to say that could make her not seem like an absolutely depressing mess with mascara streaking down her face. Unfortunately, nothing comes to mind. </p><p>Leon, on the other hand, snaps out of his stupor and with a speed she’s only seen him possess in battle, shoves the umbrella into her fumbling hands and whips his jacket off, quickly draping it over her shivering form. His mouth is moving a mile a minute as well, the gears turning in his head nearly causing smoke to come out his ears as Sonia looks up at his worried expression sheepishly. “What on earth are you doing all the way up in Wyndon, Sonia? And walking around with a thin coat and no umbrella? You’ll catch cold.” </p><p>“So will you,” she splutters, realizing he’s left himself in nothing but a long sleeve to brave the downpour. She holds the umbrella a little further out and pulls him closer so that he can have at least a little cover, but it has the drawback of giving him an even better view of the state of her. </p><p>His frown is soft, and though he’s always had a good couple inches on her in height, even when they were kids, she seems so much smaller than usual. He reaches out and tightens his jacket around her, the fabric nearly swallowing her form as he mumbles, “What’s happened?” </p><p>“N-nothing.” </p><p>Sonia knows by now that boys are useless with a crying girl – Leon is no different, but at least he’s fumblingly (and endearingly) sweet about it. </p><p>As his eyes widen at the realization that it’s not just the rain that’s been ruining her makeup, his tongue trips over itself and his hands fumble for how to hold her. “Oh no, I – you, that is, did –<em> um, </em>is this – let’s get you warmed up back at mine, yeah?” </p><p>She nearly nods, because his apartment should be close by and a hot shower honestly sounds heavenly right now, but then catches herself. Her eyes go back down to her heels, noting the patches in which rain puddles have absolutely ruined them. An old insecurity rears its ugly head, probably having waited for a while to pounce on her. </p><p>“I’m sure you have plans, though,” she mutters, gripping his jacket tighter as she tries not to cry again at the thought that even when she thinks she’s doing better, thinks she can keep up, he’s always about to slip away to the next best thing. “I wouldn’t want to throw a wrench in them.” </p><p>When she looks back up, he looks so genuinely confused that it shocks the self-pity out of her system. </p><p>“I was just going to get groceries. Why would I have plans?” </p><p>“It’s Valentine’s Day.” </p><p>His eyes nearly bug out of his head, voice coming out a stunned whisper. “I thought Valentine’s was always on a Thursday.” </p><p>And Sonia stares, and then she can’t help it – she laughs. </p><p>It’s so perfectly Leon, so perfectly what she needs right now, that the tears are coming down again but they’re lighter and mixed with her laughter as she collapses into his chest, sure that she’s ruining his shirt but unable to stop, especially when he puts his hand on her back to keep her in place, in his warmth. </p><p>“This is serious,” he whines, pouting as he takes the umbrella from her shaking hands, “Sonia, I was supposed to get my mum flowers. She’s going to skin me alive at Sunday dinner!” </p><p>She shakes her head, taking a deep breath and feeling more like herself as she pokes at his chest. “Then we better hurry up and get back to yours so you can order them.” </p><p>He begins to lead the way (only for her to quickly take over when she realizes he has no idea where they’re going) and they walk with her hands clutching his arm. As he gets himself more and more worked up about who else he’s forgotten to text and call, and she begins crafting the plan to fix it, she smiles for the first time tonight. </p><p>“Where on earth would you be without me, Lee?” </p><p>“Lost in the rain and with an angry mob at my heels, no doubt.” </p><p>They laugh, and she holds his arm a little tighter, reminded of how solid and sturdy it is, not even realizing that he’s looking down at her with this awed little sparkle in his eye as she guides the way with sure and soft steps through the rain. </p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The hot shower is just as good as she thought it’d be, but the old shirt and boxers of his that she helps herself to are even better, soft and worn against her skin in a way that reminds her of summers past spent between Postwick and Wedgehurst. </p><p>Once she’s finished changing and her freshly washed hair is out of her face, she steps out of his bedroom with her dress and jacket in her hands. When she walks into the living space, a living room that she herself helped redecorate after realizing that Leon was very much living like a single guy in his twenties, he’s finishing up a phone call with his mom on the couch. She smiles when he shoots her a thumbs-up, noting how soft his voice gets when he talks to his family. </p><p>There’s a drying rack set up by the heater just for her, and she carefully lays out her clothes in the hopes that they won’t wrinkle too badly. Then she’s heading to the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of cheap wine he must’ve picked up recently and two glasses before diving into the pantry for something to eat since she still hasn’t had dinner. </p><p>She hears his footsteps behind her, and then his warmth by her side as he moves around to crack open the wine and pour them both a glass. There’s the usual array of dried fruits and nuts that he keeps, along with a disturbing amount of protein shakes and supplements, but then her eyes catch on a bright blue tin that’s so out of place she’s left blinking at it dumbly. </p><p>“Since when do you eat these biscuits?” </p><p>He looks up from pouring, nearly splashing the counter as he looks at the tin of cookies and custards in her hands. With a shrug, he corks the bottle again. “I don’t.” </p><p>Sonia rolls her eyes, about to open her mouth to snark about how he can just admit he has a cheat day every once in a while, when he shuts her up with a casual remark that makes her heart stop for a moment. </p><p>“But you do, so I figured I should have some for when you come around.” He holds out a glass for her but she can’t take it, too quietly stunned by the effect his words have on her to do anything but hold the tin to her chest like a kid with a teddy bear. His face twists as he worries that he’s said something strange, feeling heat crawl up his neck; it’s been strange having to watch himself around her lately, having to realize that when they became friends again there was something undeniably different to it that still simmers between them that he won’t name. “What?” </p><p>“You’re getting soft on me,” she teases to ease the tension, but it fails because it comes out far too warm. Instead, she quickly places the tin on the counter and hops up to sit next to it, cracking into it as he pops a dried Mago in his mouth and they both clink their wine glasses with conspiratorial grins. </p><p>He sips a little longer, and she takes the time to admire how his throat works, how nicely it connects with his now broad shoulders, before she looks away with a flush – it causes her to miss how he takes in her bare swinging legs, clad in his clothes that look far too good on her before he clears his throat and leans onto his elbows on the counter. </p><p>“So why were you trying to catch pneumonia tonight?” </p><p>She frowns, stomach turning at the memory as she angrily bites a biscuit in half, crumbs flying everywhere and causing Leon to bite back a chuckle. “Well I was<em> supposed </em>to go on a date. Believe it or not, I actually looked really nice before you found me.” </p><p>“You always look nice,” he says without thinking, so earnestly and casually that she nearly chokes on her wine. He keeps going, not even registering what he’s said as he asks with a frown, “What went wrong?” </p><p>The embarrassment is back, Sonia picking up her wine again only to swirl it in her hand and stare at it in her lap. She mumbles it under her breath, and Leon leans closer, asking her to repeat herself three times before she finally snaps, “I got stood up, okay?” </p><p>He holds her annoyed stare, his own anger beginning to boil up from his stomach. “What? Who? Why?” </p><p>“Some guy I met at a conference.” She takes another biscuit and washes it down with a generous helping of wine before continuing, losing steam as she sinks further back onto the counter, “I thought we hit it off, but I don’t know. He just...didn’t show. Maybe I came on too strong or something. It’s stupid, I shouldn’t be so hung up on it since I barely knew him and he clearly wasn’t worth my time but...” </p><p>Her breath catches on the reformed lump in her throat, and she hates that this is close to being the third time she’s cried in front of him today, but there’s at least a little relief that if she’s going to be this messy it’s with Leon. He’s still leaning on the counter, but presses up against her, giving her thigh an encouraging nudge with his arm as he gently prods, “But?” </p><p>She wipes at the corners of her eyes with a shrug. “But I guess I just thought that he’d like me. I thought there was something in me to like.” </p><p>Oh Arceus, she didn’t mean for <em> that  </em>to slip out, and she nearly goes to backtrack, to make some joke about too much wine when he beats her to the punch, mouth gaping. “What’s not to like?” </p><p>“Oh Lee, it’s not–” </p><p>“You kidding me, Sonia?” He shakes his head, and she realizes she can count on one hand the number of times she’s seen him angry. But he’s not angry with her, no, he’s clearly angry for her, in this way that he’s bursting out from himself, arms wide as though he’s shielding her from something, and she gets a flash of when they were kids and he was always first to step in when someone was getting too cross with her. </p><p>“You’re the best thing to come out of Wedgehurst! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be where I am, and Nessa wouldn’t have taken over Hulbury, and, and, and just look at everything you’ve done for Galar’s history and the study of Dynamaxing so soon after becoming professor.” His eyes are wild, alight with adoration in a way that has her struggling to breathe as he runs a hand through his hair and plows on, “Out of all of us that came up around that time, you were the total package, and it doesn’t take even half a brain to know what you deserve and how to treat you right; even I could do it, and I’m no good at any of this kind of stuff.” </p><p>She lets out a little giggle at the performance, feeling something sparkling and giddy in her chest as he blinks out of his trance with a faint blush threatening to take over his ears. With a renewed smile, she taps his side with her leg, tutting, “No, c’mon, you’re plenty good at that stuff. You always know how to make people feel special – one of the best things about you.” </p><p>Something shifts, and it’s warm in the room and Leon stops watching himself around her, loses the will to as he leans closer and rides the adrenaline rush she always sends him on. “If it was me, I would’ve taken you out for the whole day, not just dinner. ‘Course, I couldn’t do the proper romantic thing and pick you up, otherwise I’d be late, so you’d have to come get me instead and we’d walk over together.” </p><p>There’s something so open about the air between them, like some final line has just been crossed and it’s nothing but open fields and blue skies now, that Sonia doesn’t bother second-guessing leaning closer as she adds, “I wouldn’t mind. I like our walks, and it’d give us more time to talk.” </p><p>“Which means we’d be in Wedgehurst so – oh, the lake. I’d get us a boat and we’d row out to the lake by your gran’s place, and I’d have it all set up like the movies. An umbrella, a picnic basket, and flowers, obviously.” </p><p>“Obviously,” she agrees with a serious nod that she undercuts with a laugh at themselves because on the one hand, this is just the escape from the awful night she’s had that she needs but on the other, she can see it all so clearly that it’s incredulously stupid that she’s never pictured it before. </p><p>He glances behind them, eyes catching on the drying rack. “You’d get to wear that dress, or whatever you want; you’d look good in anything. And I don’t think you’d like what I’d show up in, but I’d try my best.” </p><p>“That’s not true.” She giggles as he raises a brow at her, gesturing to his current mix mash of patterns and colors in his joggers and shirt, and she pushes at his shoulder lightly as she amends, “You’ve gotten a lot better about styling yourself. I quite like your battle tower getup, very dashing.” </p><p>“Aw it’s fine, Sonia, you’re the pretty one of the two of us.” </p><p>“Now that’s <em>objectively </em>untrue–” </p><p>“At any rate, we’d go out to the lake and crack open champagne, and you’d make sure the cork didn’t go into the water because that’s the sort of thing you’re clever enough to think of before it happens. We’d have lunch as best we can, and you’d point where to go for the best views and I’d row to them.” </p><p>She takes another sip of wine, feels herself growing warmer as though she’s already under that sunshine. “Well that’s lovely, but I recall you saying something about the ‘whole day.’” </p><p>“Of course, that’s just part one of seven.” </p><p>“Seven!” she gasps with laugh, leaning back with the force of it bonking her head against his cabinet. Leon snorts but quickly checks the back of her head for a bump with his hand as she just keeps laughing. “Lee, you hardly need some grand seven steps to woo me.” </p><p>He pouts, not removing his hand from her damp hair as he argues, “But I'm not talking about what you <em>need; </em>it’s about what you <em>deserve.” </em> </p><p>“And <em>I’m</em> talking about how you’ve been making me feel this way for months now!” </p><p>Silence settles, thick and gooey over their shoulders, as they realize there’s actually one last line left, and Sonia’s just leaped over it without realizing. </p><p>Her lips part, eyes unable to look away from his even as her face drowns in pink. She bites her lip, watching his face intently, just waiting for him to lean back, to frown, to ask just who she thinks she is trying to chase the wind like this. </p><p>But he stays right where he is, and his hand slides down softly from her hair to cup her cheek as a corner of his lips quirks up. </p><p>“Making you feel like ‘what,’ Sonia?” </p><p>She can see the realization in his eyes, hear the teasing edge of his voice, and she wants to scream into a pillow as her feet flail in the air and her heart beats a thousand miles a second. The intensity of his gaze, though, has her blush growing deeper as she looks to the side, mumbling through a pout as she leans into his touch, “You know what.” </p><p>He hums, thumb rubbing across her cheek. “No, I don’t think I do. You’re the smart one, after all.” </p><p>“You really are too good at this for your own good.” With a sigh, she closes her eyes and lets go of her last inhibition, because he’s already seen her at her worst, at her most vulnerable today and for years now; it really was just a matter of time before they got to this point. </p><p>“Making me wonder why we haven’t done this sooner.” </p><p>Her voice is so unbearably honeyed when she says it that it has his eyelids dropping, gaze going to her lips for a moment as he tries really hard to think back on why – something about not wanting to ruin their friendship, or maybe not enough time, or maybe any other excuse he cooked up the first time he saw her again after all those years and felt his heart burst – but can only keep circling back to how good she looks in his clothes. </p><p>“I don’t remember.” </p><p>“Me neither.” </p><p>There’s a million ways Sonia could describe how it feels when their lips finally meet and she pulls him as close as she's wanted to for weeks now, but the one that keeps repeating in her mind is “inevitable,” like a long-awaited homecoming or the sunset vista at the top of a mountain path. </p><p>And when they go out for breakfast the next morning, maybe photos of them end up on Y-Comm and there are gossip rag headlines, but Sonia’s too busy listening to Leon admit that he’s already forgotten the order of his seven-part date, laughing as she walks hand in hand with him and leading the way to whatever they cook up together next, like they always have and always will. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>wow I haven't written in ages but I was hit with the need to make this happen so hopefully you're able to enjoy despite any rough edges! I might go back and edit this in a day or two, for now it's time to get cracking on raihan/nessa</p><p>also these two scream "best friends who act like a married couple" so all I can think of is the next day sonia at the lab like--</p><p>Sonia: "So Hop, I want to respect your feelings and boundaries, so it's only fair I let you know Leon and I went on our first date yesterday and if you'd like-"</p><p>Hop, who was fully convinced the two had been a thing for six months at this point: "first...??"</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. the inevitably surprising</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>There’s something sort of relaxing about being the chronically single friend on Valentine’s Day, at least to Nessa. </p><p>She has enough stress and responsibility between modeling and being a gym leader that even seriously dating seems like more of a headache than anything else. Adding an entire holiday built around grand romantic gestures and life-changing proposals and she can already feel the migraine coming on, more than content to stick to the occasional date or fling and keep herself blissfully single for the month of February. </p><p>Of course, that usually leaves her as the only one of her friends with no plans for the holiday. She’d done Galentine’s for a few years, and it was great, but as more and more of her friends found themselves in relationships, they’d had to shift to the day before Valentine’s. </p><p>Which leads Nessa to do something she never thought she would years ago, when she first became a gym leader. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Raihan picks up on the third ring and listens with the occasional polite hum as she explains. </p><p>There’s a beat of silence after she finishes, and she sits on her balcony sofa, picking at a stray thread on the cushion as she waits. Honestly, she’s still debating if she should call this off, hang up now, because she’s never actually hung out solo with Raihan. Some part of her knows it’ll be a disaster, if how they tend to end up butting heads in a group is any indication to go on. </p><p>Finally, he speaks up, and she can hear papers being shuffled with on his end of the line. “So you want to hang out?” </p><p>She rolls her eyes, knowing he’s leading to something but unsure what it is beyond that it’s annoyingly theatrical. “Yes.” </p><p>“With just me?” </p><p>“That’s what I said.” </p><p>“On <em>Valentine’s Day,” </em>he drawls, and she can see the smirk stretching across his face in her mind, knowing that she knows that he knows just how to push her buttons. </p><p>Mew, what a headache (which only gets worse when she considers how much she actually likes someone knowing her that well, being able to dish it out at her pace and get under her skin). </p><p>She’s quick to snap, “Don’t read into it or I'll leave you to post dumb Single’s Awareness Day memes on Y-Comm by yourself.” </p><p>He clicks his tongue, and a victorious little smile tugs at her lips as she pulls a leg up to her chest, looking out at the lighthouse on the horizon. “And what makes you think I don’t already have plans?” </p><p>“Because we have the same friends now for some reason, so I know they’re all busy. Leon’s going to spend the entire day mooning over Sonia, and vice versa. Piers is still off on tour, Gordie’s doing some fan meet-up. So on and so forth, so unless you want to make up a girlfriend from Johto you’re not busy.” </p><p>“...what if I told you I met her at math camp and she’s not on Y-Comm because her parents are strict?” </p><p>That gets a laugh out of her before she bites her cheek, shaking her head at the sound of his defeated chuckle as she mumbles, “Look, invitation’s open. Come over after lunch and we’ll watch some dumb movies, order takeout, maybe hit up a bar. Otherwise, I’m having fun without you.” </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>And against all odds, he shows up. </p><p>“I’m not watching any rom-coms,” he says with full confidence, taking off his shoes at the door and then striding into her apartment like he owns the place, “Not even to make fun of them.” </p><p>Nessa raises a brow, watching him slump onto her couch and reach for a soda on the coffee table, one of several dozen snacks she’s brought out just for this. Just before he can crack it open, she’s placed herself in front of him and snatches it out of his hands, giving the can a moment to settle before cracking it open herself. “My television means I have final say, and I say that a lot of them are unironically great if you’re willing to put aside fragile masculinity.” </p><p>He blinks, watching her take a long sip before gracefully falling into the spot next to him on the couch and picking up the remote. With a hum, he grabs himself another soda and pops a handful of popcorn into his mouth, chewing with a thoughtful look on his face as she picks out their first watch. He swallows with a smirk, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye and finding that she’s ready to keep arguing her point if needed – he holds his hands up in surrender, soda can sloshing at the movement. </p><p>“Touché. Let’s broaden my horizons. Hit me with your best shot and try to get me on board with this.” </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>By the third fairy-tale ending paired with empowering speech from the female main character, Raihan is in tears, desperately trying to hide it as Nessa only pats his shoulder encouragingly and passes him a box of tissues. </p><p>They breeze through most of her favorites and she takes delight in watching his reactions rather than the movie itself, finding a new joy in them as he discovers the tropes and archetypes she’s grown used to. Once their pizza arrives, they’ve reached the end of Nessa’s list, and she takes another slice with a sigh. </p><p>“I guess we can watch whatever you have in mind,” she mumbles, throwing a napkin at him when he nearly wipes the grease off his hand onto his sweatpants, “Or we could eat and then head out to a bar.” </p><p>Raihan is quiet, simply eating and staring at her coffee table, and she realizes with wide eyes that Raihan, the Dragon Tamer of Hammerlocke, is embarrassed. </p><p>He puts his plate down, scratching the back of his neck and pretending to find the ceiling interesting as he mumbles, “I mean, I’m not exactly <em>dressed </em>to go out, and I’m sure every where's busy by now, so...I wouldn’t mind a few more.” </p><p>Nessa smiles to herself around her bite. “You’re a rom-com guy now.” </p><p>“Maybe.” </p><p>“Definitely.” </p><p>“I can have layers, you know,” he snaps good-naturedly, throwing a candy heart at her and smiling when she squeals, just barely ducking it with a pout. A thought flickers across his face for a moment, and then his eyes are softening. He picks up the remote and shrugs, beginning to pick out their next watch. “Thanks for being cool about it.” </p><p>She raises a brow, stomach flipping not unpleasantly with his more serious tone. “What do you mean?” </p><p>“I thought that if you were right, you’d be more annoying about it, I guess. Or that you were going for a bait-and-switch so you could make fun of me for not being masculine enough.” He turns to really look at her, not their usual sideways glances, and it strikes her as odd that she remembers his face being all sharp lines when the curve of his lips is soft. “But you’re cool, Ness. We should hang out more.” </p><p>As if realizing what he’s said, he quickly turns back to the television, starting up the movie and shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth to keep from saying anything else. She just watches, finally blinking out of her thoughts with an easy smile as she leans onto the sofa arm and turns her gaze back to the screen. “Yeah, we should.” </p><p>“Maybe I’ll manage to get you into spy flicks.” </p><p>She laughs at that, the strange weighty air they walked into lifting as she goes for another slice of pizza, glancing at the clock on her wall. “I mean, the night’s still young.” </p><p>He pumps a hand into the air, and then begins shouting at the career woman on screen to leave her awful finance guy fiancé, and it’s so incredibly easy for the hours to pass without another thought. </p><p> </p><p>A few weeks later, Sonia will point out that Nessa and Raihan are hanging out more, teasing with a waggle of her brows, “You’re getting rather chummy.” </p><p>And where once Nessa might’ve faked a gag or rolled her eyes, she will instead smile with a shrug. </p><p>“Yeah, I guess we are.” </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The next year, it’s actually Raihan who calls her about it first, catching her by surprise as she’s doing laundry with a video call. </p><p>“I’m tempted to do another movie marathon,” he explains, and she strains to hear him over what’s sizzling in the pan. He’s cooking dinner, and she’s already lost the argument for him to put headphones in, so instead she turns the volume up once more and walks away from her noisy laundry machine. “Thing is, though, I have a friend who owns a bar, and everything he’s told me about the party they’re throwing for Valentine’s this year sounds great.” </p><p>Nessa hums, flopping down onto her bed and not caring about the unflattering angle as she asks, “Is it Iwan?” </p><p>Raihan’s brows furrow as he continues chopping up some leafy green. “Yeah, have I already told you about him?” </p><p>“He’s come up in a few stories, but I also realized he slid into my Y-Comm chat a while ago.” </p><p>A curse hits her ears with a hiss, and she sits up and brings the screen closer when she sees Raihan’s dropped the knife and is clutching his finger. “Arceus, what happened?” </p><p>“You sprung that absolute bomb on me is what happened,” he snaps back, bringing what must be a cut up to his lips. He examines it, shakes his head, and then opens a drawer at his hip and begins rummaging around it. “Guess that makes sense though – you're definitely his type. Don’t tell me he became one of your flavors of the week.” </p><p>Whatever sympathy she had for him dries up with a scowl, one he doesn’t see because he’s busy wrapping a bandage around the nick he gave himself. She’s told him about her past flings and aversion to anything serious, and of course now he teases her for it constantly (because he teases her about everything, really, like she does to him). </p><p>“Nothing came of it. We had a nice conversation, but the League season was starting so I got too busy for anything else.” </p><p>Raihan nods, flexing his finger a bit before going back to chopping. “Probably for the best. Iwan’s...<em>sweet, </em>and you don’t like that.” </p><p>She bristles at that, at being known better than she thought, and argues, “I like sweet just fine!” When he looks up at the screen with a knowing look, she sits back, biting her cheek as the words fall flat. “With the right person. And time. And dose.” </p><p>“Sure, sure. But Iwan – and I love the guy but still – he can be a little smothering.” </p><p>“Maybe I’d like that. I can have layers.” </p><p>He chuckles at the familiar words, going to the pan on the stove and giving what’s in it a good stir with his spatula. “And one of those layers,” he goes on to say, pointing with the spatula for emphasis, laying it on just as thick as he always does so that she has to snort, “Is your independence. Trust me, Iwan’s great, but he’s a lot in a relationship. He got the last girl one of those pairs of bracelets that vibrates when the other person touches it.” </p><p>Nessa falls back onto her bed with a hum. “That’s kind of cute.” </p><p>Raihan gives her a deadpan look. “She lived four blocks down.” </p><p>“That’s...less cute.” </p><p>The sizzling finally stops, and she lowers the volume a bit as he plates up his dinner, trying to glance up at her while making sure nothing misses the plate. “All this to say I think it’d be fun for us to hit up Djinn. I know I kind of just scared you off the guy, but I promise Iwan is cool, and I’ll pop him if he isn’t. Otherwise, we can do movies again.” </p><p>She thinks for a moment, eyes drifting off to her closet and spotting the silver of a dress she’s been dying to wear for a while now. Honestly, it’s been a while since she had a night out, and Raihan has good taste in dos, which brings her to look back at him through the screen with a sparkle in her eyes. </p><p>“Singles night at Djinn it is.” </p><p>He’s downed nearly half his dinner already, but pumps the hand holding a fork into the air at her words, doing this strange little victory shuffle that has her laughing too hard to roll her eyes. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Nessa can’t remember the last time she’s felt nervous walking into a room. </p><p>Until she walks into the bar and begins fussing with her hair as her eyes scan the place for Raihan. </p><p>This strange little voice has been playing on her nerves ever since she started getting ready for tonight. Even when she reminded herself her makeup is for her and no one else, that voice piped up with the fact that it might still be nice if Raihan liked it, which is worryingly not-platonic. In the cab over, it also brought up that she should make a good impression, and when she pushed back that there’s no one to impress, it simply brought up that the few of Raihan’s friends who aren’t hers might be here. What if they don’t like her? What if she embarrasses him?</p><p><em> Frankly, I should be embarrassed of him and not the other way around, </em>she thinks to herself, snapping out of this latest funk. Honestly, with how rowdy he can get on nights out, she’s fully expecting to have to go on an apology tour on Y-Comm tomorrow. </p><p>Didn’t stop her from coming for even a second, though. </p><p>Finally, she spots him by the bar off to the side, and he’s waving at her with a lopsided smile. He cleans up just as nicely as usual, dressed in jewel tones and a silk shirt without somehow feeling tacky. She’s reminded of one of many past conversations when she’s tried to get him into modeling and he’d brushed her off with this strange little laugh, rubbing the back of his neck as his ears grew warm. </p><p>“Look who finally showed up,” he drawls as she takes the seat next to him. He takes a sip from his glass, watching her slip off her jacket to reveal her dress before placing a hand to his chest. “And you got all dressed up? For<em> me?” </em> </p><p>“Sod off,” she grumbles, shoving his face away with a hand to the cheek and smiling as he and the bartender – who she quickly recognizes as Iwan – have a laugh. </p><p>Raihan gestures between the two, sending a wink the bartender’s way as he introduces, “Nessa, Iwan. Iwan, Nessa. Though I take it you two already know each other?” </p><p>“Oh come on, mate.” Iwan’s tan cheeks take on a rosier hue as Raihan laughs at his expense, before he turns to Nessa with a polite smile. “So what can I get you?” </p><p>She thinks for a moment, glancing at the menu before leaning over and glancing down at Raihan’s glass. “What are you having?” </p><p>“The Lovesick.” </p><p>Ignoring his noise of shock in protest, she lifts the glass up to give it a sniff and then taste, nodding as she sets it down. “One for me, too.” </p><p>Iwan laughs at Raihan’s offended expression, getting started on the drink and shooting what Nessa decodes is a look of approval at the dragon trainer. </p><p>And it gets that voice to quiet down as warmth blooms from her stomach and travels to her chest, bubbling out as a laugh when her and Raihan cheers to the night. </p><p> </p><hr/><p>  </p><p>They get half an hour or so to chat before trivia starts up. He absolutely smokes her when the answers are revealed, and after he goes to pick up his free drink coupon, she asks how on earth he learned all that history of Galar folk traditions; he shrugs it off, says it just comes with the territory of looking over the Vault, as if he isn’t this secret walking encyclopedia. </p><p>It gets her thinking how much else he shrugs off. </p><p>Then the space is transformed into a proper dance floor, and they run into more of Raihan’s friends – evidently, they all went to primary together and just managed to stay in contact, and as the music grows louder so does Nessa’s laughter with all the childhood stories they dig up on Raihan, who takes it all in stride as he keeps looking over at her smile with one of his own. </p><p>With the lights lowered and bass raised, it then becomes near impossible to have a conversation and they move to the dancefloor, and even though Nessa swears she rarely dances, it only takes half a drink and Raihan egging her on with another of his awkward shuffles before she’s jumping around and dancing with them all. </p><p>She has no idea how much time has passed and doesn’t care to check when she feels her mouth going dry and lungs working a little too hard. As she slows, Raihan is the first to pick up on it, being right next to her, and he’s quick to lean down and shout in her ear, “Bedtime?” </p><p>“Just need some water,” she retorts, giving his arm another shove. </p><p>If she really thought about it, she might be able to draw some conclusions from how often she’s had her hands on him in some form tonight. </p><p>Instead, he stands up straight and nods, helping her get back to the bar before a group of locals stop him for a chat. He shoots her an apologetic look, about to make a polite excuse, but she waves him on and goes to wave down a bartender. </p><p>Iwan takes her order, sliding her a glass of water as she voices her gratitude and takes a long sip. Seems most of the crowd is still dancing, giving him a little time to lean on the bar and shout over the music with a smile, “Having a good time tonight?” </p><p>She nods, thinking on it for a moment and replying, “Definitely, I love your place. Usually I have a few guys getting a little too aggressive with wanting to dance me, but not here.” </p><p>He blinks, and then throws his head back to laugh, causing Nessa to furrow her brows as she finishes off her water and he shakes his head. </p><p>“I’d love to take credit, but I think that has more to do with Raihan shooting them death glares.” </p><p>Her mind goes blank, eyes flickering over to where he’s still talking to that group. “What?” </p><p>Iwan nods, catching the eye of someone else waving him down and explaining before he heads off, “Yeah, he’s got a protective streak in him and he’s been doing it all night – hard to miss on account of his inhuman height.” </p><p>She’s left with the thought, growing deaf to the music for a moment as her own heart beats out a rhythm that’s foreign to her. Something about Raihan specifically looking out for her, even when she doesn’t notice, has her body growing warm, fingers tingling with the potential of<em> something. </em> </p><p>As he wraps up his conversation, she leaves her glass on the bar and stands, but his eyes are drawn towards where the DJ is set up, and when he turns to her there’s an absolutely determined and impish edge to his eyes that has her heart beating even louder in her ears. He strides towards her with a wide grin, gently grabbing her wrist and beginning to lead her back through the crowd as he tells her simply, “Got an idea.” </p><p>They weave through writhing bodies, Nessa feeling herself pushed every which way from the crowd, from Iwan’s words, from their past conversations, from how large and steady Raihan’s hand feels around her wrist, wrapping around it completely that has her stumbling more than usual. </p><p>“What idea?” </p><p>He looks back at her, and she realizes they’re nearly to the stage. With a jerk of his head, she looks to see a few patrons dancing up there, around the DJ.  </p><p>“We’re going up there.” </p><p>She chokes on air, bringing him to a complete stop as she splutters, “We?” </p><p>“Aw c’mon, Ness,” he whines, leaning down so that she can hear him and having the side effect that his warm breath fans against her ear and neck, “Don’t tell me you’re scared.” </p><p>“And don’t tell me you’re shameless. I’m not looking to embarrass myself tonight.” </p><p>He gives her an odd look, then he’s rolling his eyes and throwing his hands up. “You couldn’t embarrass yourself if you tried. You’re<em> Nessa</em>!” Without giving her nearly enough time to process what that means, he gives another mischievous grin, the dare evident in his gaze even in the dark. “Not afraid of a little attention, are we?” </p><p>And she almost hates that he knows exactly how to get a rise out of her, how to egg her on so perfectly. He turns and hops up with no effort, a few people closest to them giving an approving holler as he leans down and holds out a hand to her. For a moment, she only looks at it, feels the nerves coming back. </p><p>Then her hand is in his, enveloped by his palm as he helps her up in her heels, and he keeps her close because it’s a tight squeeze. Her eyes are wide as she realizes what she’s done, looking out into the crowd and unable to see anyone with all the lights. When she looks back up at Raihan’s face, he’s still grinning, and she lets out an incredulous laugh before he’s taking both her hands and getting her to dance. Gone is the funny shuffle, as he keeps up with her effortlessly and has her forgetting they’re on stage as they laugh to themselves and enjoy the rest of the night as if they’re the only ones at the bar. </p><p> </p><p>Later, photos come out on Y-Comm, just as she’s expected, but when she goes to clear up the muckraking rumors of something brewing between her and Raihan in the morning, head pounding, she finds that someone's beaten her to the punch. </p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>@fakeraihan12 </strong>
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  <em>ummmm that’s literally my sister??? </em>
</p><p>
  <strong>@fakeraihan12 </strong>
  <br/>
  <em>seriously though, feel bad for the bloke who wrote this up because he’s clearly never had friends or the respect for someone that I have for nessa; I’d appreciate it if you stuck to clickbait listicles and out of my business </em>
</p><p> </p><p>And like “sweet,” she usually cringes away from “protective,” but something about this – right person, and time, and dose – has her smiling into her pillow as she drifts off to sleep away the hangover. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“What the hell, Rai?” </p><p>Nessa frowns at her coffee table, phone to her ear as she waits to hear an explanation. </p><p>Two weeks ago, Raihan seemed genuinely excited for their third Valentine’s...<em>whatever, </em>together, to the point that she was sure he’d thought of something great. Then he goes and gets cold feet on her a few days ago, dodging her texts and calls about it until the day of, when she had enough and blew up his phone until he had no choice but to pick up. </p><p>“I’m sorry, Ness.” And he does sound miserable, making some of her annoyance ebb and concern flow in as he continues, “Just woke up with Vault stuff to take care of and really not feeling well. Think I’ve caught something going around with the interns. Sorry.” </p><p>She frowns, chewing on her cheek as she feels a pit grow in her stomach, weighing her down. “Yeah, alright. Just...get some rest, okay? Don’t go in today if you’re really not feeling well.” </p><p>There’s a long pause on his end, and her stomach turns at the thought that maybe she said something wrong, maybe she’s only made him feel worse – she hopes he can’t hear the disappointment in her voice that their little tradition in the making is put on hold. </p><p>“Y-yeah, I won’t.” He clears his throat, and his voice really does sound rough. “I’ll make it up to you tomorrow, promise, I just can’t today.” </p><p>She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose as she pushes the pit further down. “Right, I’ve already said it’s fine. Focus on getting better. Do you need anything?” </p><p>He lets out a little laugh. “I’ll be fine.” </p><p>“If you say so. There better be a smoothie for me in your hands the next time I see you.” </p><p>“See ya, Ness.” </p><p>The call ends, but she doesn’t feel any better. She sits there, fidgeting with her phone as she chews on her cheek. Knowing that idiot, he’ll go into the Vault anyway, because as lazy as he claims to be, he’s always the first to show up. Honestly, she doubts there’s much that could keep him from work if he thinks it’ll inconvenience anyone. </p><p>And there’s just the thought of him, covering up his sniffles and going home to be sick, alone, in his apartment. He’s taken care of errands for her in the past when she was too busy or stressed; she should more than repay the favor. </p><p>It takes all of thirty seconds before Nessa is getting up and throwing on a jacket, deciding she’ll just grab some leftover soup out of the fridge and bring it to him. </p><p>Because he’s sick. </p><p>Definitely not because she’s been looking forward to seeing him today for the past two weeks. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The young woman at the front desk has a kind face, looking up at Nessa with half-lidded eyes as the gym leader says, “I’m looking for Raihan.” </p><p>Her eyes light up behind her glasses, and she sits up slightly, only to seem almost disappointed when the only thing in Nessa’s hands is a Tupperware. “Right. Well, he should be in, I believe he’s just...oh.” </p><p>Nessa follows her gaze just as Raihan steps out of the elevator, clearly having come from some sort of trip into the basement archive. He freezes, hands in his pockets and eyes wider than a Deerling in headlights as his shoulders hunch like an alley Espurr on the defense. </p><p>They hold each other’s stare. </p><p>His face looks...fine. Normal. Certainly not feverish, with no sight of a runny nose, and he’s even dressed up a bit for a meeting or something it seems. </p><p>It clicks in her mind, as her knuckles turn white from her death grip on the Tupperware.<em> He’s not sick at all. </em> </p><p>Before she can make another move, he’s turning on a heel and bolting for the stairs, slamming the heavy door open with no care for the alarm going off. The secretary is shouting something that Nessa can’t hear, not over the blood rushing in her ears as she dashes off after him, shouting with the fury of a woman scorned, “Get back here you prick!” </p><p>“I can explain,” he shouts over his shoulder in the stairwell, though he doesn't sound convinced of that point at all. </p><p>“You better!” She curses his long legs, barely able to keep up with him and nearly running into some poor assistant coming down the stairs. “You can start right now, even.” </p><p>“Actually, I can’t but please trust me and wait outside!” </p><p>“I<em> did </em>trust you! Only to find out you’re not even sick,” she accuses, feeling the acid leave her voice as her body grows tired from the chase. They hit the top of the stairwell and she follows him out the door, into the open air as she realizes he’s making a run for the top room. She nearly chucks the Tupperware at his head, but she finds she has very little fight left in her as her voice drops from its shout and she huffs, “Any particular reason you’re trying to ditch me?” </p><p>He’s out of sight, and just as she slams open the door to the tapestry room, he freezes, in position to throw a houseplant with a ribbon and card on the vase out of an opened window. </p><p>Her eyes lock onto it, and her mind clicks the pieces together once more as her shoulders deflate and she feels, for the first time, like a complete moron. </p><p>“Oh.” She can’t look away from the pink ribbon, feels that pit come back with a vengeance as she clutches her stupid Tupperware to her chest as she looks at her feet. “If you had someone else to spend the day with you could’ve just said as much.” </p><p>Arceus, it feels awful to say, even if this was all just a matter of time. <em>Why </em>does it feel awful to say? </p><p>She realizes, belatedly, that the idea of Raihan spending Valentine’s Day with anyone else truly leaves her hollow. At this point, the idea of him spending as much time as he does with her with anyone else does the same. </p><p>She’s never wanted a relationship unless– </p><p><em> Right person. And time. And dose. </em> </p><p>Figures she waited too long, convinced herself otherwise too much, and now it’s all wrong. </p><p>The potted plant is shoved into view. </p><p>She looks up slowly, blinking as Raihan keeps his eyes on her with this strange determination that has the pit blooming into something that grows around her ribs and lifts her heart into her throat. </p><p>“Go on, then.” </p><p>“What?” she mumbles, watching his face harden for a moment before he sighs, dropping his shoulders. </p><p>“Let me down easy,” he explains, retracting the plant and holding it closer to his chest, playing with one of the leaves gently with a frown. “I know you don’t want a relationship, but I went and caught feelings. And then I thought, ‘oh I know, Valentine’s is coming up,’ except that you don’t like the holiday. So I got to thinking, and I cooked up this plan that I’d keep things real casual, and I’d get you a plant because I know you’ve been wanting more for your balcony, and I’d lay my cards on the table and see what happens. But the more I thought about it, the dumber it was, and then I didn’t want to see you at all because then I’d end up blurting it out like I am now.” </p><p>The words hit her slowly, softly, soaking into her skin as she regains her footing. </p><p>Then her entire chest clenches and the blooming thing inside her waters itself with a tear out of her eye because Raihan, snarky, clever, protective, <em>wonderful </em>Raihan knows her so well and likes her so much and– </p><p>The Tupperware is shoved into his view. </p><p>His turn to blink up as she fiddles with the lid, taking a deep breath. “I came to bring you soup, because you said you were sick, and we take care of each other. But then I’d also get to see you, because there isn’t anyone else I want to spend today with, and we’d get to hang out even if it was just for a little bit because I always feel better when I’m around you, even if I joke that I don’t, and I don’t think I’ve liked anyone as much as I like you.” </p><p>They hold each other’s stare, and then slowly, with the afternoon sun warming their faces, they share mirrored smiles and step closer. There’s a bit of awkward fumbling as they exchange, Raihan laughing to himself as he takes the soup before looking at Nessa. </p><p>She holds the potted plant like it’s a miracle, close to her chest, and it’s all too much for him; he cups her jaw and she follows, leaning into the kiss. </p><p>It’s all so sappy, and Nessa is never one to overstate a first kiss, but with how gently he touches her and how softly his lips explore hers, she feels fairly confident in saying that this is the best kiss she’s ever had, that there’s something to those rom-com moments that still pale in comparison to getting to kiss Raihan. </p><p>When they break apart, he’s all hunched over her, like he can’t bear to be away, and it should be suffocating but she breathes it in, feels exactly the same as he lets out a stunned little giggle, mumbling to himself, “Can’t believe I finally got to kiss you.” </p><p>She melts like an absolute cliché for a moment, and then she’s grinning, stealing some of his usual mischief as she lifts the potted plant a little higher. “I can’t believe you almost threw this off a third-story window.” </p><p>He groans, burying his face in her hair as she laughs at his expense. “I panicked.” </p><p>“You’re so embarrassing,” she tuts into his chest. </p><p>“Can’t help it.” </p><p>“Yeah,” she mumbles, closing her eyes and listening to his heart beat in his chest for a moment, finally feeling protected and taken care of in a way she never even knew she craved. “I know the feeling.” </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>just missed the valentine's deadline but that honestly feels more on brand for these two</p><p>raihan and nessa strike me as the type to be like "I'm not interested in a relationship" then proceed to stumble into a relationship with each other and only realize like a year later</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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